GC.com emails and AOL

[+Simply Paul]

'Is it just me', or are GC.com mails taking a long time to turn up to AOL accounts? I'm getting log notifications anything up to 2 weeks late, and communications emails are taking just as long - which meant I didn't get to hide the cache I had planned for North West Wales at the weekend as I'd not got the 'we'd be happy to look after it for you' reply.

 

Are our Masters Across The Ocean aware of the problem, and if they are, do they know if there's anything I can do to help the situation? It used to be dull. Now it's mucking up plans and causing confusion.

[+stora]

'Is it just me', or are GC.com mails taking a long time to turn up to AOL accounts? I'm getting log notifications anything up to 2 weeks late, and communications emails are taking just as long - which meant I didn't get to hide the cache I had planned for North West Wales at the weekend as I'd not got the 'we'd be happy to look after it for you' reply.

 

Are our Masters Across The Ocean aware of the problem, and if they are, do they know if there's anything I can do to help the situation? It used to be dull. Now it's mucking up plans and causing confusion. [/quote

 

IIRC there where a few posts about it a short while ago. AOL are blocking GC.com emails.

 

I have spare gmail invites if you require one.

[Lactodorum]

Oh! Believe me they know about it!! There's a thread been going for some time here. It's actually got so bad that some users have had their GC accounts suspended due to AOL misclassifying their account e-mails as Spam. The whole thing is a bit of a mess and AOL are doing d.amn all to sort it out

 

The only short term realistic way out of the mess is:

 

a ) Complain bitterly and repeatedly to AOL

and

b ) Get yourself a free Gmail account for GC correspondence

Edited August 15, 2006 by Lactodorum

[+mongoose39uk]

I have Gmail invites available if anyone needs one.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

[+Simply Paul]

I've a caching email account, a work account, a personal account, a deeply personal account, and a family account already - I'm not sure I want to add a further one just yet but will look to Gmail if things get no better soon. Email on its way to AOL customer services to suggest they make a note of GC mail's IP address on the back of an envelope.

 

Thanks for the advice and links folks.

[+macroderma]

I received 90 e-mails this morning, a mixture of notifications, e-mails and PQs, a backlog of 3 days or so!

 

I have complained - I move in a month or so and if it doesn't improve I will be changing ISPs

 

Shame really as in many ways thy have been quite good

[+Johnmelad]

'Is it just me', or are GC.com mails taking a long time to turn up to AOL accounts? I'm getting log notifications anything up to 2 weeks late, and communications emails are taking just as long - which meant I didn't get to hide the cache I had planned for North West Wales at the weekend as I'd not got the 'we'd be happy to look after it for you' reply.

 

Are our Masters Across The Ocean aware of the problem, and if they are, do they know if there's anything I can do to help the situation? It used to be dull. Now it's mucking up plans and causing confusion.

 

I had AOL some years ago and found that the problems it caused were not worth the cost, quite low at the time.

 

Changed over to BT and have never had a problem since. However, between swapping from one to the other AOL changed all sorts of things on my then decrepid PC. However, friends and relatives who moved away from AOL more recently said they had similar problems.

 

Given the problems I had with AOL and the service I currently get from BT, if AOL was free of all charges I would not go back to them.

 

http://ebtx.com/business/aolsucks.htm

Edited August 15, 2006 by Johnmelad

[+Haggis Hunter]

SP you are so behind the times!!

 

This started way back in the last two weeks of July. I complained to AOSmell and got a telephone call. I was basically told that they will block my emails if they want to.

 

I have now been trying to cancel with them for the past 10 days, but they are ignoring my emails and have taken another months subscription. I need them to answer so that I can get my Migration Authorisation Code, as I am pissing off to IDNet.

[+Simply Paul]

Not behind the times, just unusually patient.

 

I have a lot of friends on AOL and email addresses which have been in my family for generations so I'd hate to have to give it all up.

 

Adding a Gmail account, automatically forwarding to AOL might be an idea but it seems like it's adding an extra link to an already rather rusty chain.

[+Johnmelad]

Not behind the times, just unusually patient.

 

I have a lot of friends on AOL and email addresses which have been in my family for generations so I'd hate to have to give it all up.

 

Adding a Gmail account, automatically forwarding to AOL might be an idea but it seems like it's adding an extra link to an already rather rusty chain.

 

Don't fink AOL has been around for generations!

 

That said, you can send Emails to AOL addresses from all other ISPs as far as I am aware.

Edited August 15, 2006 by Johnmelad

[+t.a.folk]

SP you are so behind the times!!

 

This started way back in the last two weeks of July. I complained to AOSmell and got a telephone call. I was basically told that they will block my emails if they want to.

 

I have now been trying to cancel with them for the past 10 days, but they are ignoring my emails and have taken another months subscription. I need them to answer so that I can get my Migration Authorisation Code, as I am pissing off to IDNet.

 

An Aunt had a similar problem cancelling her Sky subscription.

 

My advise was to direct the bank not to pay the direct debit. Sky got very grumpy, but she did not pay any more to them.

[+Family Hodge]

I have Gmail invites available if anyone needs one.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

Oh dear, ive just got to grip with E mails. What is G mail.

I to have problems with AOL but thought it was me.If it continues i will set my wife on them

Edited August 15, 2006 by Family Hodge

[+gingerbreadmen]

I had loads of problems with AOL and their e-mails from Geocaching, I opened a googlemail account and my PQs having been turning up daily and on time ( having said that, one disapeared today but I can live with that).

Re AOL, this morning I had waiting for me, get this, 232 e-mails, all from Geocaching, and some were notifications of somebody finding caches who has been out of the country for over a week!

I believe that it is a swine of a job to get shut of AOL as its workings apparantly infiltrate the darkest innards of your computer, I'll stick with them until I buy a new pc then I'll move.

[+mongoose39uk]

I have Gmail invites available if anyone needs one.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

Oh dear, ive just got to grip with E mails. What is G mail.

I to have problems with AOL but thought it was me.If it continues i will set my wife on them

 

Gmail

[Lactodorum]

That said, you can send Emails to AOL addresses from all other ISPs as far as I am aware.

Actually not! I've used an SMTP server on my PC for sending e-mails when I'm away from home and it works perfectly for all recipients except anyone on AOL. AOL refuses to accept e-mails through this server.

 

Although I've tried to sort it out they never respond to my queries so I don't bother with them any more.

[+Kitty Hawk]

AOL?

 

You will never remove them from your computer and their programs will infest everything you do or try to do. Everytime you try to do something you will find that AOL removed the vital bit of code that allowed windows to do the thing and now AOL are the only solution.

 

Buy a new computer. Pay the minimum AOL subscription of £4.95. Don't install AOL on your new machine, access AOL on line. Reply to everyone you want with your new e-mail address. Cancel the whole the AOL direct debit after 6mths/1yr/2yrs as appropriate.

 

Go to a reasonably small internet provider without world domination ambitions.

 

Been there already.

[+allieballie]

 

I have a lot of friends on AOL and email addresses which have been in my family for generations so I'd hate to have to give it all up.

 

 

I feel the same and when I think of the hassle that changing would involve it does my head in. I know so little about computers that I am sure my entire system would go haywire if I tried to change, and I wouldn't have a clue how to fix it, so I have changed my gc.com email address to my hotmail one. Result: no problem with gc.com emails!

[+John Stead]

 

I have a lot of friends on AOL and email addresses which have been in my family for generations so I'd hate to have to give it all up.

 

 

I feel the same and when I think of the hassle that changing would involve it does my head in. I know so little about computers that I am sure my entire system would go haywire if I tried to change, and I wouldn't have a clue how to fix it, so I have changed my gc.com email address to my hotmail one. Result: no problem with gc.com emails!

 

It is a bit late for those with their address already on a lot of address books but for a long time I have used a free forwarding service on www.bigfoot.com and if I change ISP all I need to do is tell Bigfoot. So far I have had no problems with it.

[alistair_uk]

It is a bit late for those with their address already on a lot of address books but for a long time I have used a free forwarding service on www.bigfoot.com and if I change ISP all I need to do is tell Bigfoot. So far I have had no problems with it.

I had alistair@bigfoot (and yes I did sign up early). The problem came when an Alastair registered and I got so much email for him accidentally sent to me I had to turn off the forwarding. Not overly relevant, but you know, might be on interest.

 

I also have many GMail invites if mongoose39uk runs out. From being rather ambivalent I have grown to love GMail, it just needs playing with for a while to understand it.

[+The Flying Boots]

We use Yahoo Mail as a secondary email account. Its free, instant and you don't need an invitation to use it. We've had no problems getting our PQ's sent through and can access all our mail from our ISP account whilst away from home through it.

[+Haggis Hunter]

My advise was to direct the bank not to pay the direct debit. Sky got very grumpy, but she did not pay any more to them.

That is my next step, however I need the MAC number so that I can transfer free of charge and within 3 days, otherwise it will cost me £47 for new equipment and two weeks to transfer. Only AOL can give me the MAC number.

 

I believe that it is a swine of a job to get shut of AOL as its workings apparantly infiltrate the darkest innards of your computer, I'll stick with them until I buy a new pc then I'll move.

Don't buy Packard Bell then, it comes with AOL preloaded. It's called 'AOL powered by Packard Bell', it's what my computer runs of off! New computers also come preloaded with the software, you don't get the disks until you have a problem and then they get sent to you. May just be PB's way of doing business?

[+stora]

My advise was to direct the bank not to pay the direct debit. Sky got very grumpy, but she did not pay any more to them.

That is my next step, however I need the MAC number so that I can transfer free of charge and within 3 days, otherwise it will cost me £47 for new equipment and two weeks to transfer. Only AOL can give me the MAC number.

 

I believe that it is a swine of a job to get shut of AOL as its workings apparantly infiltrate the darkest innards of your computer, I'll stick with them until I buy a new pc then I'll move.

Don't buy Packard Bell then, it comes with AOL preloaded. It's called 'AOL powered by Packard Bell', it's what my computer runs of off! New computers also come preloaded with the software, you don't get the disks until you have a problem and then they get sent to you. May just be PB's way of doing business?

 

Whats this MAC number ?

Is it the MAC address of your network card that you need to find out?

[Deceangi]

Whats this MAC number ?

Is it the MAC address of your network card that you need to find out?

 

Migratory Authorisation Code.

 

It's a code given by the ISP your contracted to that gives BT permission to disconnect you from their connection in the exchange and reconnect you to a new ISP's connection. Otherwise it takes 3/4 weeks for you to get connected to your new ISP, as it takes 21 days minimum for the paperwork giving BT permission to disconnect you from the ISP to go through. And a further 7 days minimum, afterwards for the new ISP's paperwork to go through and a new connection to be made. All the time your either on dial up or you use a library or internet café.

[+stora]

Thanks for the answer Deceangi

[+Haggis Hunter]

My apologies Stora, i should have written the full name before abbreviating it.

 

You can only get you MAC when you cancel your broadband, AOL has it's head up it's in the sand, and won't acknowledge my cancellation emails. Looks like it's an email to OFcom making a complaint!

[+Moote]

'Is it just me', or are GC.com mails taking a long time to turn up to AOL accounts? I'm getting log notifications anything up to 2 weeks late, and communications emails are taking just as long - which meant I didn't get to hide the cache I had planned for North West Wales at the weekend as I'd not got the 'we'd be happy to look after it for you' reply.

 

Are our Masters Across The Ocean aware of the problem, and if they are, do they know if there's anything I can do to help the situation? It used to be dull. Now it's mucking up plans and causing confusion.

This will not be a GC problem but more an AOL problem, rant needs to be placed in AOL's court.

[+Haggis Hunter]

'Is it just me', or are GC.com mails taking a long time to turn up to AOL accounts? I'm getting log notifications anything up to 2 weeks late, and communications emails are taking just as long - which meant I didn't get to hide the cache I had planned for North West Wales at the weekend as I'd not got the 'we'd be happy to look after it for you' reply.

 

Are our Masters Across The Ocean aware of the problem, and if they are, do they know if there's anything I can do to help the situation? It used to be dull. Now it's mucking up plans and causing confusion.

This will not be a GC problem but more an AOL problem, rant needs to be placed in AOL's court.

Been there Done that, now OFcom are involved.

[+BareClawz]

Anyone who has used AOL will possibly know about Guides. They're volunteers that get trained by AOL to monitor chat rooms and sort out peoples problems. I know as I used to be one, a Guide, not a problem that is. I quit as there was no support from the 'powers to be' on AOL. All they are interested in is getting people on seats and paying their subscriptions. That and AOHell regard themselves as the supreme ISp and akin to God.

So once you've got AOL in your system and decide to change to another ISP you'll still find AOL into everything and every program. The only way to remove it completely is to reformat your hard drive. In other words delete everything thats on the drive and reinstall Windows and start again. Not only will you have to reinstall Windows, but every other program you have and regularly use too.

The only advantage is that you'll find the machine will run quicker and there will be lots more room on the drive. It's cheaper than a new machine and actually recomended these days to help cut out the nasty spyware bits that creep in, even through anti-virus and anti spyware programs.

One thing to check is your SPAM settings on AOL. To do that go to Email on the toolbar at the top and click it, a drop down list will appear. Scroll down to Block Unwanted Email and click that.

Set it to your prefered setting, I use Allow Email from all senders as I don't have everyone on Geocaching.com in my address book. Down a bit and set Blocked email should be: to Delivered to Spam Folder and finally untick the box on the right where it says Email filtered by AOL's advanced Spam filter. Save your settings.

AOHell will claim that by doing so you'll get more spam mail. Well you would if AOL's filter actually worked properly so unticking it doesn't make much difference.

By doing those changes you should have no problem recieving GC mail. But it's also a good habit to get into that when you check your mail if the little blue line at the bottom says Spam Folder (1) then something AOL regards as spam has been sent there. Click the link and instead of it having been deleted you'll be able to see what it is and if necessary manually delete it.

 

BareClawz

[+Johnmelad]

I am informed that AOL is also one of the biggest collectors of personal information on the INTERNET, they will monitor and record every site you visit, every transaction you make and keep this information for anything up to five years.

 

AOL will also pass on your INTERNET habits to law enforcement agencies without being asked for it.

[+Bear and Ragged]

AOL.

 

Makes Bill Gates, and Microsoft, sound like a nice person/company to know...

[lakeuk]

I am informed that AOL is also one of the biggest collectors of personal information on the INTERNET, they will monitor and record every site you visit, every transaction you make and keep this information for anything up to five years.

 

AOL will also pass on your INTERNET habits to law enforcement agencies without being asked for it.

 

As well as leaving it on the net for anyone to get at

[+Jaz666]

My apologies Stora, i should have written the full name before abbreviating it.

 

You can only get you MAC when you cancel your broadband, AOL has it's head up it's in the sand, and won't acknowledge my cancellation emails. Looks like it's an email to OFcom making a complaint!

 

Related news story today.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5259212.stm